Visitors.
After
14 years, the world's
prime event
for the "dark
scene" is
a total success. Almost
nobody thinks about
the financial issues
this festival experienced
five years ago. Since
2001, new organisers
run the show and they
have injected the Leipzig
gathering with new
blood.
This
year everything worked
perfectly and WGT offered
170 performances in 20 different
places all over Leipzig -
during four days and nights.
As far as I know, there were
no cancellations and no violence;
a completely friendly atmosphere
all around.
From
Friday May 13 to Monday
May 16 about 20 000 visitors
from almost 30 countries
gathered in the second
most important city of
Eastern Germany. Leipzig
changed its routine and
offered a warm welcome
to the slightly odd tourists.
The city was awake 24 hours
a day with all these
dressed up people moving
around all over the huge
city, mostly with the help
from the efficient tram system
- in particular people use
line eleven, which runs between
most venues.
The
main area Agra,
and old fair park,
hosted the biggest acts
like The Human League
who showed why they
were stars in the 80's
with their long list
of classics.
People
was anxious to see
what Steve Strange
in Visage is up to
after all these years
and he tried to sing
and dance like in
the past, but it
was nothing more
than a nice try.
Being
from Peru (but living
in Sweden)
I noticed Hocico was
probably the only Latin-American
band playing for a
big audience. The Mexican
cousins and their electro
industrial were one
of highlights for many visitors.
They were only beaten
by Umbra et Imago who
played at home in Germany
(I'm not sure people outside
Germany fully understand
this strange band) with
the highest attendance
of all, I guess. Apparently,
there was an incident
on stage which included
hair on fire. Don't play
with matches and candles.
From
the smaller stages,
I want to mention the
two British girls
in Client playing
electropop with
a heart. Countrymen
Seize showed a
good mix of electro
dance and a sensual female
voice.
Something
to remember: the
great show of Das Ich
on the outdoor Parkbühne,
even though it
was raining cats and
dogs, people were enjoying
this; one of the
best shows of the festival
and of course Das Ich
is the typical
WGT act.
Moritzbastei,
a network of subterranean
chambers, was an important
meeting people who came
to see bands, drink or
shop in the medieval
market. The bastion became
a natural center when
people was downtown.
Expo.
The
program also offered
many bands from USA, Australia
and Eastern Europe.
-
But the
concerts are subordinated
to the festival experience,
says Peter Matzke, the
festival's spokeperson.
He explains further:
-
The exchange
for the dark community
is what's important - that
is why we do not have one-day
tickets - we want everyone
to come here in order to
meet people - and not primarily
to see the stars on the
stage.
This
concept has lasted for
a long time and in the
end, this is the reason
why the organisers expected
a third of the visitors
to come from abroad; from
countries like USA, Mexico,
Japan and New Zealand.
I noticed that the average
age at Wave Gotik Treffen is
higher than at most festivals.
Peter Matzke agrees.
- We have
seen older visitors appearing
for the last three years, he
says.
The wave and gothic culture
has now existed for over
25 years. For the very
first time a gothic Kindergarten
was opened and one can
see how the organisers
care for the new needs
the new gothic
generation...
I
met Michael Brunner,
the festival's creator
at the new Kindergarten
with his five year old
daughter Anthea. The
35 year old has never
missed a Wave Gotik Treffen
and he told how bad he
has felt after
the financial issues
a few years
back. But he is pleased
to see
how the new organisers
have transformed Wave
Gotik Treffen into the
biggest and most important
event in its genres.
Visitors.
|
|